A Doomed Hero
by Sir Ludwig
Summary: Izuku dreamed of becoming a hero as great as All Might ever since he was a child. Instead, fate had other plans for the young boy as his journey would lead him to becoming an instrument of death, leaving millions dead in his mission to save humanity from the demonic hordes of Hell...
1. Prologue: One Man's Journey

**WARNING: _Blood, Gore, Violence, Swearing, and Sexual Themes! You have been warned!_**

* * *

**They are rage, brutal, without mercy…**

The Baron of Hell bellowed in pain as the chainsaw tore into its back, blood and gore splattering across the hellish landscape as the towering creature fell forward, moaning out in pain until the demon was silenced with its head being sliced off. Every demon watched as the infamous Doom Slayer jerked the chainsaw from the Baron's body, just showing how easily the _monster_ could kill anything they threw at him.

A Hell Knight, one of the last remaining demons in the vicinity, snarled at the Doom Slayer, its anger towards him growing by the minute, and, without any hesitation, charged at the demon-killer. The chainsaw, covered in gore and blood, had began glowing red from Argent energy as the Slayer flung the weapon to the side. Instead of clattering against the ground, it disappeared in the blink of an eye, and had been replaced with a double-barreled shotgun. As the Doom Slayer loaded a pair of shells into the powerful weapon, he aimed the weapon at the Hell Knight quickly approaching and pulled the trigger on it.

_BANG!_

The Hell Knight staggered behind the force of the weapon, causing chunks of flesh to be blown off. In the brief moment between firing the weapon and the demon being forced to stop, the Slayer loaded new shells into the shotgun and took aim once more at the Hell Knight.

**But you…**

_BANG!_

Suddenly, the creature's head blew up in a spectacular, and morbid, display of blood and gore. The last few remaining demons, a few Imps, turned to look at the one who is responsible for the deaths of millions of demons throughout the ages. They watched as the Slayer approached them, watching as he loaded the powerful weapon once more, showing his intent to finish them off.

**You will be much worse...**

The last remaining Imps charged forward, hissing and snarling at the demon-killer. As they got closer to the Slayer, he fired another blast into one of the Imps and turning them into a mist of blood and flesh. One of them manage to charge up a fireball and flung it at him. The Slayer immediately got out of the way, allowing the fireball to hit the other remaining Imp behind him.

Using this brief moment of confusion to his advantage, the Slayer rushed towards the Imp who had been bit by the fireball and proceeded to grab its head. As the demon attempted to slash at the Slayer, its effort would go to waste as he proceeded to rip the Imp's head from its body allowing a fountain of blood to spill into the air, covering his green armor. The man would look at the Imp's head for a brief moment before throwing it away as if it was trash.

The Slayer turned his attention to the last remaining Imp, who seemed to be hissing and snarling at the demon-killer, knowing full well what was about to happen to it…

**Rip and tear, until it is done…**

In a desperate attempt to save itself, the demon created another fireball and flung it at the Slayer. To its surprise, the Doom Slayer didn't seem to care as he rushed forward and took the hit from the fireball and still kept moving forward. The demon was about to create another fireball when it felt something slam into its body.

Before it could even look down at its chest, the Imp was suddenly dragged towards the Doom Slayer by whatever was lodged in its chest.

Once it was within reach of the Slayer, the man reached out and grabbed the Imp by the throat. Like his chainsaw from before, the shotgun began to glow red with Argent energy and disappeared within the blink of an eye. As the demon kept trying to escape the man's grip, it didn't notice the large blade that was attached to the Slayer's left arm.

The demon took one last look at the Slayer, continuing to fight and claw for its survival against the _monster_ who hunted them across Hell. The last thing it would ever see was the burning hatred hidden by those green eyes belonging to the Slayer.

Much like the Baron's fate, the Slayer slashed the Imp's head off its body. Once the final demon was killed, the Slayer looked around and saw the dozens and dozens of corpses across the hellish landscape. He had been attacked by a rather large group of demons, which had been lead by a few Barons of Hell until they were whittled down and killed during the battle.

"VEGA," the Slayer called out.

He was met with a voice inside his helmet, **[I have scanned the area, Doom Slayer. The demonic threat level has returned to normal levels. The path to the UAC tether operations in the region, should be cleared for now.]**

The Doom Slayer resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing it was only a matter of time until the demons regroup and launch an even bigger assault against him. Although, the man hardly cared as he wanted the demons to attack him and meet their demise at his hands. He spent thousands of years hunting them down across Hell, wanting to see each and every single one of them die a horrible death for what they had done to Argent D'Nur.

'_Do you still wanna be a hero?_'

In the back of his mind, he heard the question being asked, remembering the days before his time on the world of Argent D'Nur...

Even if thousands of years have passed since the fall of Argent D'Nur, the Slayer never forgot about his real home, the dreams he had as a child, and those he cared about deeply. He had no idea if they were still alive as the concept of time was lost in Hell, making each day feel like a year. In the end, the man doubted his friends and family would even want to know about him, especially if they came to find out about his past experiences.

He shook his head, '_They're dead. There's no point in giving yourself hope._'

The man began walking forward, heading in the direction of the UAC facility in the region. Hopefully, it was still operational and could teleport the Slayer back to Mars to prevent the bastard called Samuel Hayden from doing something foolish with the crucible. There was no telling what the man would do with the crucible as it possessed the combine powers of the Wraiths, who had been corrupted by the demons and used to fuel the demonic horde's expansion across dimensions.

As he followed the way-point set up on his HUD, the Slayer knew the demons were going to attempt another invasion into his home dimension. The man was determined to prevent such a thing from happening again, knowing the consequences if he failed to stop the Dark Lord and the demonic horde under its control.

'_I wonder what they would think about me..._' the Slayer thought, remembering his dream of wanting to become a great hero and save others with a smile on his face. Yet, he was walking through Hell while tearing apart every horde of demons he came across with barbarous cruelty. If this was fate's attempt to allow him to become a hero…

Izuku would've thought it was a cruel joke. Or, maybe this was his fate...damned to fight in the bowels of Hell for the rest of his unnatural life.

He soon heard more shrieks in the distance, causing him to smirk underneath his helmet. "Looks like fate decided to answer my question."

* * *

**Alright, this is the result of me being really, really excited for Doom Eternal as well as watching the current season of My Hero Academia. I was just trying to write some stuff down for the MHA story on my account when this idea came to my head. **

**So, you can think of this chapter as a test to see if people are interested in the idea. If you guys are willing to read it, then I will go ahead and keep going with the idea.**

**Pretty simple, right?**

**Let me know what you guys think about the story cause I ain't spoiling anything...other than the person underneath the Doom Slayer armor. Yeah, that's one obvious!**


	2. Homecoming (I) - A Violent Encounter

**WARNING: _Blood, Gore, Violence, and Adult Themes! You have been warned!_**

* * *

Tenya had come to accept the less-than-pleasant reality when it came to becoming a pro-hero, knowing danger would be lurking around every corner if he continued to rise through the rankings. Some people thought Tenya was overthinking it and told him to relax, but the young hero always thought back to the incident surrounding his older brother, who had been attacked by Stain during his days at U.A High. The entire situation had left a profound impact on how Tenya viewed the world around him, realizing just how low people were willing to sink for their goals. He thought people couldn't sink any lower than the heinous individuals such as Stain and those who follow in his footsteps.

Those beliefs had been shattered upon encountering the _real_ monsters that haunt people's nightmares. These were beings who thrived upon death and destruction without any regard for human life and knowing that single fact was more terrifying than any villain or criminal he had encountered since beginning his journey to become a real hero like his older brother.

"A-Are we…s-still being…followed?"

"…I don't know, Shoto…"

When he answered his friend's question, Tenya almost didn't believe the very words coming out of his mouth. The uncertainty behind his voice only seems to reinforce the truth; he was scared to death. After everything that's happened in the last few hours, fear was gripping Tenya's mind as he and another hero were trying to make their escape from what was a botched mission. People expected pro-heroes to solve every problem in the world, but Tenya knew there was no solving what had happened on this tragic summer night.

'_Maybe the others e-escaped_,' Tenya thought, thinking about the other four other pro-heroes who took part in the mission. His optimism was shredded upon hearing shrieking and howling in the distance, '_H-How the did the police not know about t-these __**creatures**__?_'

The assignment was supposed to be very simple; a team of pro-heroes would be assisted by local law enforcement in raiding a criminal hideout on the outskirts of Tokyo in an abandoned industrial park. Apparently, the group had been on the police's radar for the past few months as they've been suspected of kidnapping, murder, and even arson. Hell, the pro-heroes and police had created a well-thought-out plan to ensure no criminals would escape from the area upon beginning their assault on the hideout.

Yet, they say no plan survives first contact with the enemy. Tenya reluctantly agreed with those words after everything that's happened within the last few hours since commencing the operation. Everyone expected to fight against desperate criminals, not terrifying monsters more than willing to throw their lives away to satisfy their insatiable lust for killing.

Looking back on his decision, Tenya knew he made a grave mistake in believing their enemy could be defeated in battle. Now, he had to live with knowing dozens were slaughtered like cattle.

"We...n-need to..f-find the others..." Shoto, the current number two hero, tried to speak up. Except, his words had been cut short upon coughing up blood, quickly losing strength in his legs. The dual-quirk user fell onto his hands and knees.

Tenya knelt down and placed his friend's arm over his shoulder, "Shoto, we need to move. I-I don't how long until those…**_things_** come looking for us."

He knew Shoto wasn't in any condition to move, especially if the bloody coughing meant his friend was suffering from internal bleeding, but their choices were limited. It was either make their escape from the industrial park and reach safety or be torn apart by the creatures chasing after the few who survived the initial attack. Although, Tenya could understand where his friend was coming from.

Out of the six pro-heroes who participated, only he and Shoto were among the top twenty heroes in Japan. The rest were local heroes, most likely possessing quirks, knowledge, or skills that might have proven valuable to the mission. Worst of all, two looked like they had just graduated from their hero programs within the last two years if their younger appearance was anything to go by.

The speedster felt a surge of anger towards these creatures, '_They had promising careers as heroes. No one should ever have to experience anything like tonight._'

As they kept moving through the abandoned industrial park, taking alleyways and moving through abandoned buildings to avoid being spotted from above by those winged monsters, more shrieking and howling was heard somewhere else in the area.

It was followed by someone screaming, hoping anyone might hear them…

"**P-PLEASE! H-HELP ME! I-I DON'T WANN**–"

The two pro-heroes felt guilty for everything that had happened tonight. They were supposed to be the ones preventing such horrific things from happening to others, including their peers. Yet, fear was the biggest reason why neither rushed to help the person.

Why try to help someone who's about to be killed?

Tenya looked down at the ground, feeling powerless to stop the monsters from tearing into the person, made evident by the painful screams being heard. He glanced at Shoto, "We...n-need to help them."

His friend maintained a stoic expression on his face, "They're already dead. It's pointless."

"I know...b-but...how could we just sit by and let them...die," Tenya tried to argue against his friend's callous attitude towards the situation. "W-We're heroes, not cowards. Shoto, it's our responsibility to help others and protect them."

To his surprise, Shoto reacted very differently than one might have expected from him. The dual-quirk user slammed his fist into the nearby brick wall, "I know! You don't need to remind me, alright?! Do you think you're the only having a tough time!"

During their time at U.A, Tenya was always amazed by how Shoto could stay calm and composed in a number of situations. Even their encounter against real villains like Stain, the son of Endeavor never seems to let his emotions get the best of him. That's why Tenya admired his ability to remain calm under pressure. So it caught him off guard to see such an emotional reaction from the stoic young man.

Tenya almost didn't know what to say, "I d-didn't mean to accuse you of not caring…"

Just as quickly as the anger broke to the surface, the speedster saw his friend's face morph back into the stoic expression known by millions across Japan.

"I know," Shoto replied, letting out a sigh. "I know you weren't trying to say that, Tenya. Guess I just lost my cool."

Neither said another word as they kept walking down the alleyway, hoping to reach the edge of the industrial park. In any other situation, Tenya would have simply used his quirk and cut their trip to the more densely populated areas without too much trouble for either of them. As he thought about his quirk, the speedster was reminded about what had happened during the battle between them and the creatures inside the hideout.

On his calves, there was a bright, green substance covering the exhaust ports for his quirk. It took the young man less than a few seconds to realize it was acid thrown onto them. The acid had managed to burn through his armor, which was supposed to be able to stop gunfire, and started inflicting serious pain on unprotected calves. Despite the horrific coursing through his legs, Tenya kept powering through his suffering as he knew Shoto wouldn't be able to carry him to safety.

As they kept walking down the alleyway, the two pro-heroes heard strange noises above them.

"Did you hear that?" Shoto asked him.

He nodded his head, "Y-Yeah, do you think they found us?"

Despite specializing in combat, the two young men knew they weren't going to be able to do much in a fight against these creatures. They were nearly overwhelmed by their sheer numbers inside the hideout and, to their horror, it was made even worse upon getting outside. Besides, the wounds inflicted upon them wouldn't allow the heroes to last more than a few minutes against any large group. It pretty much forced them to keep moving, praying they could reach safety before the creatures caught up to them.

The noises kept getting louder and louder until they noticed debris starting to fall down into the alley.

Both heroes lifted their heads up and saw the most terrifying sight of their lives. There were about two dozen orange-skinned creatures with spikes protruding from different parts of its body, but the worst part was their glowing eyes. They could see the hatred and anger burning in them, causing the number two and number thirteen ranked heroes to back away in fear.

"S-Shoto..."

"Y-Yeah."

Tenya was starting to believe everything happening tonight was a nightmare, and he would wake up in the morning in the arms of his high school sweetheart, safe and found. Yet, he could hear a voice telling him otherwise. Everything happening to him was real, and tonight wasn't going to end anytime soon.

Without much warning, one of the creatures glared at them before it started shrieking. In a heart-beat, the two heroes watched as the creatures started rushing towards them. The speedster then noticed a few started creating fireballs in their hands, causing his eyes to widen in surprise.

He yelled, "Shoto! Ice!"

The dual-quirk user lifted his right arm, "Got it!"

**...**

_**Homecoming (I) -**** A Violent Encounter**_

_**[V.1]**_

**...**

**(_Few Moments Earlier_)**

"Any luck on your end, Lemillion?"

When Mirio heard the voice of Kamui Woods speak into his earpiece, the young pro-hero had just landed on top of an apartment building in the middle of town. He needed a minute to catch his breath, a result of him constantly hopping across rooftops for the past few hours since beginning a search into town for any leads into Mandalay's disappearance. The young man was trying his best to stay positive about the whole situation, despite how everything was becoming bleaker and bleaker by the minute.

He didn't bother masking his frustration, "Nothing, Kamui Woods. Not a single clue. Even the local criminals aren't sure who would want to kidnap a pro-hero like her."

"We should stop for the night, Lemillion. I'm sure your family is worried about you," Kamui said, hoping the number one hero would listen to his suggestion. "You've been pulling a lot of all-nighters recently."

Mirio wanted to protest against the older hero's words, preferring to keep looking for anything to help them find Mandalay. He reached into a tactical pouch on his belt and taking out his phone. As the screen lit up, Mirio saw he had a dozen missed calls and a few text messages from Melissa. It wasn't just her as there were a few missed calls from his father and about a dozen texts from his two best friends.

'_M-Maybe I should listen to Shinji...I'm already making Melissa worry about me,_' Mirio knew he was going to have to stop at some point unless he wanted to pass out from exhaustion.

The last few weeks have been nothing short of frustrating for Mirio and other pro-heroes. When the news broke out about Mandalay, Kota's aunt, going missing during an investigation into people being kidnapped in the local countryside, Mirio immediately signed himself up to help. Many others joined the search, including his two closest friends, giving him hope they would be able to quickly find her and ease Kota's mind.

Looking out into the distance, Mirio knew Mandalay was somewhere out there, waiting for her team to rescue her from those responsible. The Pussycats are already down a member after All for One decided to take Ragdoll's Quirk. To lose yet another member would be a devastating blow to their morale and, unfortunately, bringing up the question about if they should even remain as a team anymore. Beyond the loss of an experienced team of heroes, Mirio knew there were far more personal reasons for wanting to rescue her...

When he unlocked his phone screen, Mirio was met with an image of the two most important women in his life. Melissa, the love of his life, and Eri, the little girl he rescued during his last year at U.A. It acted as a subtle reminder about there was more to his life than being a hero. He was going to become a husband and was already a father for the last few years.

"Guess I have been running myself into the ground..." Mirio said into the earpiece, earning a chuckle from the pro-hero. "...Besides, I'm sure Mount Lady wouldn't mind having her husband back, Shinji."

"Mirio, why do you feel the need to add to my misery," Shinji replied, feeling the sudden urge to cut the line of communication between him and his fellow hero.

The number one hero smirked, "Shinji, you guys were the last two people anyone thought would be interested in each other romantically...let alone getting married and having a kid."

"Says the guy about to get married in a few weeks," Shinji fired back, deciding to play along with Mirio's game. "Are you two gonna give Eri a younger sibling anytime soon or is that a surprise for the wedding?"

What most people didn't realize about pro-heroes is they were no different than the very people they save on a daily basis. In the public's eyes, Mirio was the number one hero in Japan and the person who took on the mantle of responsibility once held up by the legendary All Might. While he may have the ability to level an entire building, Mirio was just a simple man who came home to the woman he loves and the little girl he calls his daughter.

These brief moments between pro-heroes were something the public hardly ever noticed. Yet, these moments helped ease the minds of many people working in such a deadly profession.

"Before I go home, I'm going to check with someone I know. See if they haven't heard anything," the young man said, already imaging the irritated expression hidden underneath Shinji's wooden mask.

Shinji sighed in exasperation, "Fine. Just promise me, you'll go home and get some sleep. Hell, I don't think anyone would blame you for taking tomorrow off and making up for lost time with your fiance and daughter."

"I can't do that, Shinji..." Mirio replied, rubbing his eyes as he could feel the exhaustion getting to him. "...Kota already lost his parents, and he nearly fell apart then. None of us want to imagine what would happen if he lost Shino too."

"Don't you think I know that," Shinji scowled, silently agreeing with Mirio's feelings about the situation facing them. "There doesn't go a day when I don't worry about Yu or our child. To imagine a child being left alone in this world...those monsters deserve to be punished."

In the years since getting to know Shinji, the number one hero learned how protective the man was of his family, even if was wife was more than capable of holding her own in a fight. Still, it was nice to know he wasn't the only one who felt so angry towards the people behind Mandalay's disappearance. He just hopes they aren't too late…

"Alright, I'm going to start heading over to my contact, Shinji," Mirio informed him. "You just head home and take it easy. I'll be doing the same tonight."

Shinji wanted to tell his friend to go home and leave such a thing until tomorrow, or rather when the sun came up. He wanted to tell Mirio about the pit in his stomach like it was trying to warn him about something awful heading their way.

"Be careful, Mirio. I'm starting to get worried about everything going on..."

The young man could hear the concern in his friend's voice, "I know...I know, Shinji."

Just as he ended the call with his fellow pro-hero, Mirio heard numerous sirens in the distance. He looked in the distance and saw a large column of police vehicles heading in the direction of an old industrial park. There were regular police cruisers but was surprised to see heavier vehicles like those associated with the special assault teams, which meant there was a situation taking place somewhere. Mirio, against the advice from Shinji, decided to see what was happening and started following the police vehicles.

'_Something has to be wrong..._' Mirio couldn't help but feel a shiver crawl along his spine.

A thought came to mind as he remembered being informed about a police operation in the area. It was something about raiding a criminal hideout, and Mirio was beginning to think something must have gone terribly wrong if the police are responding with such force. Quickly, the number one hero felt the familiar rush of One for All coursing through his veins as he started leaping across rooftops.

There was only thought on his mind, '_Izuku, please give me the strength to get there in time_.'

**…**

**(_Few Moments Later_)**

Shoto knew it wasn't safe for him to put too much strain on his body, especially after much punishment he inflicted upon these monsters. No matter many creatures he froze to death or burned to a crisp, they seemed unfazed by the violence and almost seem to relish in it. A part of him was terrified by their unrelenting nature, willing to throw themselves into the meat grinder to ensure they killed him and the others.

'_Can't stop now_,' Shoto had to push himself or else they were going to die. '_I__f these things don't kill me…Momo is sure to do so._'

He mustered what little strength remained in his body and unleashed a wall of ice to protect them from the creatures.

Suddenly, the alleyway was engulfed in a blizzard-like storm as the wall of ice surged towards the creatures, placing a barrier between the heroes and the creatures. A few had been caught the moment when the ice wall surged forward, tearing a few monsters apart in the process, but it wasn't enough as the remaining orange-skinned creatures seemed agile enough to avoid his attack.

"Shit," Shoto didn't know if he had enough strength to launch another attack. He knew they were dead if he didn't try to stop them, "We have to find a way out, Tenya."

Deciding to ignore the pain, the dual-quirk user unleashed another devastating blast at the creatures, hoping it will give them time to escape.

A few more creatures had been caught in the blast, turning them into frozen bodies. Their bodies landed on the ground and shattered into pieces.

"Let's go, Tenya!" Shoto yelled, noticing the creatures looking at their fallen brethren with confusion on their twisted faces.

The speedster nodded, "Just hang on!"

Shoto wasn't given any warning as Tenya suddenly grabbed the dual-quirk user and threw him onto his shoulder. The number two hero had a feeling he knew what his friend was about to do. He didn't know if he was supposed to warn Tenya against using his quirk, especially if there was a chance the acid might react to him using it.

'_And it's our only real option for escape_,' Shoto rationalized, knowing their quirks were going to be the difference between life or death. '_Still, I don't think Momo is gonna be happy when she finds out about tonight._'

When they decided to take part in the raid, police officials had asked him and others to keep quiet about the operation as they didn't want to risk the chance of someone leaking it. Shoto could understand the need to keep the operation a secret, ensuring they had complete surprise on their side. Although, Shoto had to wonder what was going to happen after tonight…

Would the police announce the raid's failure? Or would they throw it under the rug?

What are people gonna say about tonight?

"Please don't tell me..." Shoto tried to hold back another coughing fit. He saw the smoke coming from Tenya's quirk, "...You're gonna try and use your quirk?"

His friend didn't respond to his question, making Shoto concerned about what Tenya was planning on doing. Shoto saw the ice wasn't going to last more than a few minutes if they were lucky. They needed to get out of the alleyway before even more creatures show up and overwhelm them.

Maybe getting inside a building might help?

"Tenya!" Shoto tried catching his friend's attention.

The speedster suddenly came to a stop, making Shoto sigh in relief as he finally got through to his friend's head.

"Look, we need to think ab–"

"Shoto," Tenya whispered, almost like was afraid of raising his voice any louder. "W-What the f-fuck is that?" he asked, pointing towards a large..._**beast**_.

The dual-quirk user almost didn't know what to think when looking at the new creature. It was easily bigger than anything they've encountered throughout the night. Maybe seven or eight feet tall, bulging muscles, and hands big enough to crush a human skull. Outside of those orange-skinned creatures and the zombie-like beings, neither of the heroes were expecting to fight against something as menacing as this thing.

It's glowing eyes focused on the two pro-heroes, forcing them to take a step back.

That single step was enough to catch the new creature's attention, causing it to roar at the two heroes. It began charging at them like a wild bull, intent on killing them.

Behind them, they could hear the familiar shrieking of the orange-skinned creatures approaching them. The situation had gone from bad to worse as Shoto and Tenya were basically trapped between a rock and a hard place. It forced Tenya to realize their best chance of survival was to use his quirk to the absolute limit, giving them a chance to escape. Yet, he had to realize there were going to be long-lasting consequences for pushing his quirk like this.

'_I-I don't have a choice anymore_...' Tenya needed to use quirk, or they were going to die. '_Ochaco is not going to be happy with me if she finds out about me straining my engines...again_.'

In the words of someone famous; it's do or die time.

"Shoto, hold on!" he yelled, hoping there was enough distance to reach his top speed. Tenya poured what little fuel remained in the tank and put them to their absolute limit.

The exhaust ports on the back of his calves came to life, propelling the two pro-heroes down the alleyway. It was terrifying to race towards the gorilla-like creature, forcing them to react quickly. Tenya called out to his friend, "Shoto! Make a ramp! Now!"

Unfortunately, their luck would run out as the upcoming wall had exploded right before them. Brick, concrete, and other material were sent flying into the air, forcing Tenya to come to a screeching halt. It wouldn't be enough as another gorilla-like creature made an appearance and slammed into the two pro-heroes with an enormous amount of force.

The force had sent them flying through a wall, which caused untold pain for both of them as they landed inside the decrepit building. In moments, Tenya was knocked out as his head hit the ground and remained motionless. As for the other pro-hero, Shoto was fighting to stay conscious as the young man knew he had broken a few things like his right arm. The pain was almost unbearable to him and was probably the only thing keeping him awake right now.

He tried to lift his head and call out to his friend but didn't get very far as something slammed into his back. The sheer force was enough to make Shoto cough up more blood as he could almost feel his ribs piercing his lungs. It was already becoming more and more difficult to breathe, making him wonder if this was the end.

_D-Don't worry! We'll make it!_

In another world, Shoto might have believed his friend's words but their situation was far too grave for such a thought. He was pretty much at the mercy of whoever was trying to kill them and Tenya could be already dead from his wounds. Shoto could feel himself slipping further into unconsciousness from how much blood he was losing. The chances of him living long enough for Tenya or anyone to come and save them was quite bleak.

People always like to think pro-heroes could always turn the tables on their opponents. His first-year homeroom teacher always reminded his students of such a thing, but Shoto had to wonder if it could be applied to these _things_.

Shoto was never the most religious person in the world. Yet, he immediately thought of a name when he saw the creatures attacking them…

Demons.

He never thought such beings were real until tonight. There was no other word to describe the horrific monsters being created underneath the criminal hideout. Did the police really think it was just a gang hideout and nothing more?

Whatever the answer was to the question, Shoto doubted he would live long enough to find out.

The young man could feel his eyelids growing heavier and heavier by the second. Everything would be much easier if he simply closed his eyes and accepted his fate as a dead man. That was until a familiar image appeared in his mind; Momo.

'_W-Why am I-I giving up?_' Shoto questioned, trying to fight back against the growing darkness. Death had already begun wrapping its arms around the number two hero, waiting for the young man to accept the inevitable. '_T-This can't be the end. M-Momo is waiting for me._'

Despite the pain, Shoto tried to lift his arm and use his quirk to fight the demon off. His attempt was foiled as the demon slammed its foot once more into his back, causing him to yell in pain. Shoto knew even more of his ribs were broken from the sheer force behind the creature's vicious stomp. The pain was made worse as breathing became more and more difficult.

Was this it?

Had death finally decided to claim his life?

Is his time in this world being cut short?

'_M-Momo...I-I'm so, so sorry,_' he felt tears gathering in his eyes, realizing how much he still wanted to live. The young man suffered throughout his childhood, being molded into the perfect weapon for his father to use against his greatest challenge; surpassing All Might. He thought there was nothing more to his life than suffering and hatred. That all changed upon meeting Momo, a beautiful, raven-haired girl, during his first year at U.A High. She helped become a better person, breaking the shackles holding him down, and giving him a chance at a normal life. Even helping him gather the courage to visit his mother for the first time in years.

He even planned on proposing to her on their anniversary in the coming months, asking her to spend the rest of her life with him.

For the first time since his childhood, Shoto felt genuine fear for what was going to happen to him and Tenya. The young man had one thought running through his mind, '_D-Damn it...anyone...just h-help us!_'

As if listening to his thoughts, Shoto suddenly felt much lighter than before as there was no longer a foot pressing against his back. He rolled over, hoping to get a glimpse at the situation, but was stopped in his tracks as his hearing was suddenly assaulted by a cacophony of shrieking, howling, and stomping. The young hero manages to find the strength in his body to lift himself up and get a better view of what was happening.

Shoto was hoping to learn what caused these creatures to behave in such a manner. Until now, they had no trouble tearing through the dozens of police officers and trained pro-heroes like him and Tenya.

So what could rile them up so much?

The answer to his question came when he heard heavy footsteps coming from the darkness. At first, he thought it must have been another pro-hero, but those hopes were quickly dashed upon Shoto seeing an orange-skinned creature with spikes all over its body rushing towards him. Instinctively, he raised his hand and was about to light the bastard up…

To his surprise, someone beat him to the punch as something flew through the air and pierced the creature in the chest. Shoto didn't have much time to look at it as the creature flew into the darkness. He heard it shrieking at whoever attacked it before going silent.

'_W-What the hell is behind me?_' Shoto didn't want to look in the direction of the darkness, fearing what he would see if he did so.

Out of the corner of his eye, Shoto noticed a figure walking into the open for everyone to see. The first thing he noticed was the combat armor covering the enormous individual's frame. If Shoto had to take a guess, the individual was probably around six and a half feet tall and appeared to be ready for battle if the large weapon in their hand was anything to go by. The other thing that stood out was the strange equipment attached to their left shoulder and left forearm.

The individual turned their head towards the dual-quirk user, glancing at him for a few moments, and shook their head at him. In his career as a pro-hero, Shoto never saw someone so dismissive of him like that.

'_W-Who the hell is that?_'

* * *

**...This is awkward.**

**Hey, I'm back after being gone for quite a while. Things haven't exactly been easy with the pandemic basically turning everything upside down and forcing everyone to change their lives. So, that's been causing me headaches at home.**

**Another important thing I want to stress, I don't write because I'm obligated or anything like that. I do it because I enjoy writing these stories for people to read and react. So, this means I won't ever put fanfiction before real life.**

**I just wanted to make that clear, guys.**

**Now, we can talk about this story. I didn't ever think it was going to receive this amount of attention. As for the story, I had decided to start over by deleting the first chapter and creating something new as I wasn't happy with the original one. It felt way too...unoriginal to me.**

**I can only hope this version will lead to something much bigger in the future. **


	3. Homecoming (II) - Death's Past

**WARNING: _Blood, Gore, Violence, and Adult Themes! You have been warned!_**

* * *

**(_Over Twenty Years Ago_)**

_Izuku had been nervous about today, and the young boy struggled to understand why. Apparently, his mom said they were going to the doctor's office for him to get a regular check-up. She said the school wanted to make sure all the kids in his class were healthy. Even at his age, Izuku could feel there was something wrong with the words coming from his mom like she was lying to him. _

_It was early in the morning when they arrived at the doctor's office. Other than him and his mom, he could only see a few other kids waiting with their parents. Many of them seemed to be sick, which made Izuku hesitant to interact with them. He already struggled to make friends with the kids in his class, but to speak to random ones was too much for him._

_For now, Izuku stuck close to his mother as they approached the receptionist's desk and heard the two of them talk. He didn't really pay much attention until __catching__ one particular word __coming from the lady on the other side of the desk__…_

"_Quirkless?"_

_Izuku felt his chest tighten up, remembering the constant teasing from other kids in his class, which was centered around the fact that his quirk still hasn't manifested. He was five years old, and it raised some concern about whether he possessed one or not. _

_When his mother finished speaking with the receptionist, they walked over to some chairs and took a seat. They waited until it was their turn to see the doctor._

_During this time, Izuku glanced around the room and saw __a few kids using their quirks to pass the time in the waiting room. He looked over at his mom, "C-Can I have my h-hero book?"_

_His mom smiled, "Of course."_

_Izuku watched as his mother reached into her purse and took out a notebook. Along with the notebook, she had also given him a crayon to use. Gently, he took the two items from his mother's hands and muttered quietly, "Thank you."_

_The boy felt a hand on top of his head, "You're welcome, sweetheart."_

_I__nko watched as her son quietly glanced around the room, observing some of the kids and guessing a few of their quirks. She always suspected Izuku was going to be an intelligent person, especially after knowing his father since high school. Yet, Inko had been forced to remember how much everything had turned for the worse following the birth of her one and only son. _

_For starters, Inko had been trying to mend the broken relationship between her and her family. They were unsupportive of the relationship between her and Hisashi, saying the man was unfit to be a father with his past. Looking back on her decision, Inko was forced to agree with them. Hisashi was not the kind of father her son needed, considering the harsh reality facing him right now._

_Inko glanced down at her son and saw how much he was writing in the notebook. Ever since he turned four, she noticed how often Izuku tried to awaken his quirk since it was common knowledge for children to inherit a quirk from their parents or some combination of the two. Except, he's been waiting for over a year for his quirk to awaken._

_She was becoming very concerned about what might be happening with Izuku._

_While Inko didn't know everything about the topic of quirks, she did know the world had slowly turned into a super-powered society over the past few decades. A place where someone's quirk was valued more than anything else. This meant someone without powers was doomed to be thrown away, never being allowed to prove themselves otherwise._

_It was tough to imagine her son as he constantly talked about wanting to follow in the footsteps of his idol, All-Might, and becoming a hero as great as him. Every time she heard the excitement in her son's voice, Inko could only beg to some higher power to make his dream come true. She may not have been a religious person, but the green-haired woman was willing to have some faith for the only thing that matters in her life._

"_Was that supposed to be me?"_

_As Inko thought about her son's potential future, she was forced back into the real world after hearing – what she believed to be – a little girl's voice talking to someone next to her._

_The nearly thirty-year-old mother had turned her head, curious as to what was happening. When her eyes landed on the scene playing out, Inko couldn't resist smiling at the scene._

_Izuku appeared to be blushing like crazy and holding his notebook close to his chest, embarrassed about someone catching him like this. The girl was adorable in Inko's eyes as she possessed long blue hair and similarly colored eyes. It was a stark contrast to her son's green and black hair as well as his pair of emerald-green eyes._

"_..."_

_T__he young boy remained silent, fearful at the possible response from the girl. He was quickly learning what to do and say in these kinds of situations. Angering people with powers was a big no-no for him. It would only cause further problems as he still hasn't awakened his quirk._

"_Why are you so quiet?" the girl asked, tilting her head in confusion. "Oh, are you shy? Is that why you won't talk to me? Do you not like me?"_

_Her flurry of questions had caught him off-guard, "U-Um...no...I-I just don't want to make you mad."_

"_Why would I be mad?"_

_Izuku hugged his notebook tighter, which Inko had noticed, and answered her question, "Because I was writing stuff about your quirk."_

_The girl smiled at him, "Oh! That's neat. Can I see your notebook?"_

_Inko watched the interaction with a smile on her face. She knew things were tough for Izuku in school as there were rumors about the kids in his class picking on him. The woman had already tried talking to the staff about what may be happening. Much to her dismay, they had denied such rumors and said it was the kids having some harmless fun._

_Unlike the kids in his class, the girl with blue hair sounded more curious than anything else. _

"_W-Wait...you're not...mad?" Izuku's eyes widened, shocked to hear someone say that to him. _

_She shook her head, "No, silly. Why would I be mad?" the girl paused before asking him a different question. "Wait, did you write mean things about m__y quirk __in your notebook? Is that why you don't want to show it to me?"_

_Izuku denied those claims, "No! I wrote __good things about it. Nothing bad!"_

"_You promise?"_

_The green-haired boy was taken back, but nodded, "I-I promise."_

"_Great! Can you show me your notebook then?"_

_Inko watched with interest as the blue-haired girl sat down next to her son and waited for him to let her see his notebook. During the whole thing, she had remained silent as the mother wanted to see if the girl was truly being honest. To her sheer amazement, Izuku slowly loosened his grip on the notebook and, surprisingly, started opening the book to a page._

_Quirks have been around for a long time, and Inko saw her son take a great interest in them. Even at a young age, the boy was constantly asking questions about quirks of heroes he sees on the news. It did not matter if they're one of the top heroes in the country or some local one. His curiosity about quirks has led to him even observing the neighbors in their apartment building. _

_Now, it looks like someone was trying to see what her son wrote about their quirks._

"_Whoa!" the girl exclaimed, pointing to a page in his notebook. "That's a lot of words. Do you write a lot in your notebook?"_

_Izuku shakily nodded, "Y-Yeah."_

"_Cool! __I wish I could write this much like you," the girl told him, causing Izuku to blush. "By the way, what's your name?"_

"_O-Oh, I'm Izuku Midoriya...you?"_

_She pointed to herself, "Nejire Hado! Nice to meet you, Izuku!"_

…

_**Homecoming (II) – Death's Past**_

_**[V.0]**_

…

**Present Day, Tokyo**

Mirio had followed the column of police vehicles as they traveled further and further away from people living in the city. It was getting more difficult to follow them as they appeared to be heading towards a nearby industrial park, one that's been abandoned for decades now. In fact, Mirio heard a few rumors of the place becoming a hideout for a criminal organization, but there was never really any attempts made to investigate the area for any signs of activity.

People knew the police and pro-heroes worked together regularly, considering it was the job of the latter to arrest criminals. Despite what people may believe about heroes, it was illegal for any hero to actually arrest someone as it was something only officers could perform. It meant even someone like Mirio didn't hold the power to arrest someone.

On top of heroes being unable to make an arrest, they were quite limited in their ability to track down a villain or group of criminals. Mirio recalled the various stories from his mentor, Toshinori Yagi, about how the police and pro-heroes didn't always get along as they saw each other as a hindrance.

Neither side was comfortable with each other until Toshinori had appeared on the scene and effectively brought a significant halt to criminals everywhere. The man helped build a bridge between both sides as it wouldn't help anyone if they didn't get along with each other.

Still, Mirio thought the police would have brought a few pro-heroes for a raid as serious as this one. He had witnessed far too many botched raids throughout recent years, causing people to question if heroes and law enforcement were capable of bringing these criminals to justice. This is a big reason why Mirio had been trying to uphold the legacy created by his mentor as the newest symbol of peace.

As he continued to leap across great distances, there was no denying the possibility of something terrible happening if the police were sending such a response to the area.

Whatever happened during the raid must have failed and needed to be cleaned up. Mirio had come to learn just how willing some heroes and police were willing to go to keep something quiet. He assumed their job was always to do the right thing, but working with someone like Sir Nighteye had opened his eyes to reality.

Sometimes, it was better to keep things quiet and away from the public's eye or run the risk of people turning their backs on those protecting them.

Mirio had witnessed such a response from the public after the rapid rise of the organization known as the League of Villains. This group had pushed society's belief in heroes to the absolute limit. Even in the years following their defeat, nothing really changed as there were still those speaking out against heroes and their importance in this world.

Were those people right?

'_If people even hear about this raid, there's no telling what kind of backlash we might receive_,' Mirio wondered if he was doing enough as the number one hero to keep back the ever-growing tide of crime hitting the country.

When he landed on a nearby rooftop, Mirio felt a shiver crawl down his spine after getting a good look at the industrial park. Buildings looked like they were on the verge of falling apart, streets that required much-needed repairs, and an eerie silence adding to its appearance. Everything about the place might be enough to scare anyone, but something as trivial as fear needed to be discarded for these situations.

He walked to the edge of the rooftop, watching as police and special assault teams exited their vehicles. They approached the few police already in the area, who were probably assigned to prevent any of the criminals from escaping if they came through this area. Unfortunately, these officers looked terrified as they started speaking frantically for a few minutes.

Mirio, deciding their reaction was enough for him, allowed One for All to surge through his body and leaped down from the building's rooftop.

"Evening officers, what do we got here?"

In these kinds of situations, Mirio had learned it was best to cut straight to the point. It was something that he learned from Sir Nighteye before the man's unfortunate death during his final year at U.A High.

The small group of police officers turned in his direction. One of them, a woman in her late thirties, had walked away from her colleagues and greeted him, "Evening Lemillion, nice to see our number one hero showing up. As for what's going on here...none of us are too sure right now. We just got a distress call from these officers and I'm not liking what I've heard from them."

"I'm assuming it was a raid."

She nodded, "Unfortunately, yes, there was a raid here."

"How bad we're talking here?"

The police officer grimaced, "Pretty bad. The units assigned to stop anyone from escaping heard people screaming throughout the area."

"Any gunshots?"

"No," the officer shook her head as she glanced over at her terrified colleague. "The only thing they've been hearing is screams, strange animal-like noises, and pleads for help over the radios."

"What about heroes? Did they have any working with them?" Mirio was growing more concerned about what was happening here.

The female officer hesitantly nodded, "From what I just learned...they were getting help from a couple of heroes. However, two names stuck out for us."

Mirio felt a lump in his throat, "Who?"

"Our esteemed number two hero, Shoto, and number thirteen hero, Ingenium II, were among the ones selected for the raid," the female officer noticed Mirio's eyes widen in shock, unsure of what to say as it was common knowledge that they all came from the same school; U.A High.

The hero remained silent as he didn't know if it was possible to trust his voice. He had gotten to know Tenya and Shoto over the years, especially following their graduation from their high school. In their line of work, it was better to keep things friendly with those at the top than making enemies as being a hero was already stressful enough.

He finally spoke up, "Did anyone hear anything from either of them?"

"No, the radios have been silent for over two hours. We're not sure if anyone is still alive in there," the woman told him.

Mirio tried his best to remain calm, despite the inner turmoil happening in his head, as he knew it was useless to panic. The brief silence had been broken by what sounded like gunshots in the distance. It earned the attention of every single law enforcement officer in the area. Mirio looked at the woman, "I thought you said you weren't sure if anyone was still alive in there."

The woman appeared to be as equally as surprised by the noise, "The officers said they hadn't heard a single noise for hours now."

Soon, the gunshots increased in frequency as they were quickly followed by what sounded like howling or scream. Mirio was thinking it must have been Shoto or Tenya, but using guns? Neither of them was well-versed in firearms or even really needed to use them.

None of the other offices moved a muscle as they looked into the abandoned industrial park. For a brief moment, the noise seems to die down and they believed it was over…

Only for the gunshots to get even louder, causing the officers to either keep a hand on their weapons or tighten their grip on them. Mirio, meanwhile, was starting to believe it might be Shoto or Tenya. In his career, there was no telling what someone might be willing to do if they're in a desperate situation and this counted as one.

"I made a decision," Mirio caught the female officer by surprise.

"What? Lemillion, I can't allow you to go in there," the officer tried to persuade the number one hero as she knew it would be pointless to try and physically stop him. The man was capable of leveling an entire building with a single punch as well as possessing the ability to phase through solid objects. Not many heroes could stop Lemillion from doing what he wanted in certain situations.

The number one hero turned towards her, "Why?"

"Look, this raid was supposed to be a quiet operation," she said to him. "It was going to be swift and deadly. They wanted to end this as quickly as possible."

"A secret operation that just went bad," Mirio corrected her on the first part, knowing the police and the media were going to try to spin this around. "Now, we got two heroes missing and – potentially – a lot of dead officers in there. This isn't the time to act as nothing has happened."

Mirio didn't say another word as his body was covered in the familiar golden streaks of electricity that were associated with One for All. He bent his knees and leaped into the air.

Some of the officers noticed the hero's actions and were about to ask if they should stop him, but the woman seems to guess what they were thinking and shook her head.

"Let him go. Our orders are to contain...not attack."

…

**(_Over Twenty Years Ago_)**

_I__nko watched the interaction between her son and the girl named Nejire with intrigue. She was quite surprised by how easily the girl was breaking through the shell that Izuku u__sed to prevent others from getting close. There was a thought in the back of her head, fearing Izuku might do the same thing to this girl like he's done to other kids. _

_Fortunately, the mother was proven wrong as the blue-haired girl seem to make her son open up. It started with just a few pages in his notebook, but it seems like Nejire appeared to be asking more and more questions as time went on. __At first, Inko noticed how Izuku seemed hesitant to talk about them with her. Until the last few minutes as he happily explained everything he knew about the quirks and, much to Inko's joy, learning they both loved heroes._

_For the first time in a while, Inko saw a smile on her son's face as he continued to talk more and more with Nejire. _

"_Mrs. Midoriya?"_

_The mother raised her head and looked in the direction of the receptionist, "Yes?"_

"_Dr. Hyoudou will now see you and your son," the woman responded with a kind smile, which earned a nod from the mother._

_Reluctantly, Inko turned back to face her son and placed a hand on top of his head. "Sweetie, it's time to see the doctor," she told him._

"_O-Oh..."_

_Inko could hear the disappointment in her son's voice. This was probably the first time she's ever seen him act like this. Most kids, while they shared the same love for heroes like him, didn't really ask a ton of questions about their quirks. _

"_I'm sorry, but we have to see the doctor now," Izuku looked like he was about to protest until Nejire had spoken up._

"_Don't worry, Izuku! We can talk some more after you're finished seeing the doctor!"_

"_R-Really?" the boy couldn't hide the excitement in his voice. "D-Do you mean that?"_

_Nejire nodded, "Yeah, I like talking to you! And you know soooo much about heroes and quirks! It's so cool to have a friend that knows so much."_

_The conversation between Izuku and Nejire was probably the most adorable thing Inko has seen. She saw the smile growing on her son's face, who seem happy at the prospect of seeing her again. This led to a follow-up question from him._

"_Am I your friend?"_

"_Yup!" Nejire didn't hesitate about answering his question. _

_Afterward, Izuku didn't feel as upset about going into the doctor's office. Even if he still remembered the word 'quirkless' being mentioned between his mom and the lady at the desk. As they walked to the door, Izuku glanced back at Nejire and waved nervously at her._

_The girl returned the gesture with a reassuring smile, making him feel like he could handle whatever was about to happen. At that moment, Izuku wouldn't have realized the unfortunate reality about the world around him, and how his life was going to change in more ways than he imagined. __He made a friend in someone like Nejire, but there was still the dread surrounding his visit to the doctor today._

_Izuku would be right for thinking their visit might lead to something bad as __he would learn the cruel fate bestowed upon him as one of the twenty percent of people who didn't possess a special ability._

_He was quirkless, and some thought it was a fate considered worse than death in a super-powered society like theirs._

…

**(_Present Day, Tokyo_)**

There were corpses everywhere.

Mirio suspected the situation involving the police and heroes was not good, but the number one hero couldn't have imagined the terrible sight awaiting him. Dozens of police officers were torn to shreds as if they were attacked by a pack of wild animals. Some looked as if they've been burned to death, which only reinforced the possibility the criminals hiding in this area fought back against the police and won.

Throughout his career as a hero, Mirio has visited numerous crime scenes involving corpses. Burned, cut, stabbed, and crushed. None of it matters because Mirio quickly learned from his mentors about how the world was a cruel and unforgiving place. People were willing to do whatever was needed to fulfill their goals or even survive.

"But this is different," Mirio muttered as he walked down the decrepit street, trying to avoid the large pools of blood. He grimaced at the sight of the officers, most looking utterly terrified, and tried to think what could lead to criminals lashing out in such a vicious and cruel manner. It really made him wonder if he should have participated in this raid if this was going to be the outcome.

He remembered being asked to join a raid on some criminal hideout, but the kidnapping of Mandalay had taken precedence over anything else.

"...M-Me..."

Mirio heard a faint whisper behind him, "Huh?"

When he turned around, the urge to throw up was almost impossible to stop. Thankfully, Mirio manages to hold it together as the hero was forced to look at the poor soul behind him. He could see the officer was wearing heavy, black armor but it was impossible to tell the color as there was blood pouring from numerous wounds. However, the worst part was the officer's lack of arms and legs.

He tried to calm down and, slowly, approached the officer. Mirio could already feel the desire to move the man and get him medical help. Then, reality came knocking on the door as it was impossible to save the man from dying, especially after seeing how much blood he's lost.

"Can you hear me, officer?" Mirio kneeled in front of the officer, hoping to learn something about what had happened in this area because everything about this felt so wrong.

The man didn't respond to his question.

Mirio tried calling out to him again, "Sir...can you hear me?"

"...M-M..."

"Sir?"

To his shock, the officer raised his head and looked Mirio in the eye. "M-Monsters...dead...I-I want to die...p-please?"

Mirio was taken back by the words that came from the man's mouth. Even if the officer was wearing a ballistic face mask to protect himself, it was actually possible to see the lifelessness in the man's eyes. There were only a few times when Mirio can recall such an expression from anyone and the last person to cause such terror was the man known as All for One. It's been years since the powerful villain was taken down by Mirio, making him wonder what was responsible for all this.

"Sir, listen to me. What monsters?"

The officer continued to mutter various words, "N-Not monsters...d-demons...fucking demons..."

"Demons? Monsters?" Mirio was feeling even more confused.

Unfortunately, the man seems to finally reach the end. His head tilted to the side before coughing up a large amount of blood. The officer went silent as Mirio realized he was dead now.

Mirio rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Damn it."

Before he could even think about his next move, Mirio heard even more gunshots in the distance. He imagined getting closer to the source and finding out who was still alive. Instead, it sounded like they were getting much farther from him.

Confused, Mirio stood up and was prepared to leap in the direction of the noise until he noticed a very strange sight.

"What the hell?"

There was another corpse, but something was very different about this one. He thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, especially after seeing so many bodies in one location. As he approached the odd corpse, Mirio realized his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. The body had spikes protruding from several locations throughout its body, rough brown skin, and a face nothing like a human. It looked more like an animal than a human.

Soon, the number one hero began to notice there were even more bodies of this same creature. They were among the dozens of corpses belonging to the force sent to raid this area.

Mirio was growing more concerned for his former underclassman if they walked into an area crawling with these things. Suddenly, there were more gunshots in the distance followed by even more howling and he was beginning to suspect someone was trying more than to escape. If they were still alive, most people would try to get away from the area and find help.

Not this person...they seem to be heading deeper into the industrial park.

'_Why? If they're still alive then escaping should be their top priority_,' his mind was struggling to find a valid reason. Maybe they were lost or confused. While he was busy thinking about the individual firing their weapon in the distance, he hadn't noticed two people coming towards him.

"M-Mirio?"

'_That voice..._'

There was only one person who had such a stoic voice. Mirio stood up and turned to see his two former underclassmen. Except, neither of them was looking good right now.

Tenya was currently unconscious, numerous cuts across his body, and appeared to have a serious head injury if the blood was an indicator of that. On the other hand, Shoto had similar wounds with various cuts across his body. The worst injury was the bone sticking out of his arm, enough to cause Mirio to run towards them.

"Guys, you're still alive."

"W-We need to leave," Shoto struggled to get those words to come out of his mouth. It was quickly followed by hacking up some blood. "It's not safe for us to be h-here."

Mirio wanted to protest, saying there was the individual with the gun. He imagined the person might need some help getting out of their situation.

"Look, the police sent some additional men to the edge of this place," Mirio knew his best option was to escort them to the perimeter and make sure they received medical attention before heading back into the fray.

Shoto sighed in relief after hearing that information, "Good...I-I thought they were going to leave us to die."

"Not on my watch," Mirio tried to reassure his former underclassman. He grabbed Tenya from the dual-quirk user's shoulders, "By the way...did anyone else survive?"

"No."

His answer surprised the number one hero, "Then what about the gunshots I've been hearing for the past few minutes? Who's doing that?"

"...I wouldn't worry about them."

Mirio didn't expect such an uncaring response from Shoto, "Worry about them? Shoto, I don't think that person knows they're getting closer to the foundry. Plus, I came across some...strange bodies."

"As I said, you don't have to worry about them," the dual-quirk user told him. "I-I think they know what's happening here better than anyone else."

Those final words from Shoto were enough to make Mirio look back, '_Is it another hero? But I was never told anyone else showed up_.'

* * *

**I don't have much to say. Other than a few words…**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Hopefully, I'll have the next one out much quicker than this one!**


End file.
